Articuno's Wrath
by Cyllya
Summary: Angry Pokémon chase the the group into a snowy mountain where Ash and Misty get lost. Pikachu and Togepi try to get Articuno to help look for them, but the Bird of Ice has its own quest.


Articuno's Wrath  
  
  
By Cyllya  
  
Chapter I  
  
"I'm hungry!" Ash moaned. He, Misty, Tracey, and Brock were hiking up a mountain for exercise. Everyone sighed at Ash.  
  
"You're always hungry!" Misty complained.  
  
"Pokémon Trainers use up a lot of energy, you know," Ash insisted.  
  
"We ate an hour ago, and you haven't done any training since," Misty shot back, "Some Pokémon Trainer iyou/i are!"  
  
"Hmph!" Ash folded his arms and ended the conversation then.  
  
"Maybe we should rest a while," Tracey suggested.  
  
"Yeah, and Ash can have a snack," Brock said.  
  
Ash smiled.  
  
POP! POP! POP!  
  
"Huh?" Ash wondered. Three Sandshrews popped through the ground and surrounded him. More popped up and encircled the rest of the group. A Sandslash appeared right behind Misty.  
  
"Ahh!" Misty squealed as its long claws missed her leg by about a millimeter.  
  
"Leave her alone!" Ash snapped. He heard something snort and blow warm air on the side of his head. He looked to his right and saw the face of a Rhyhorn at an uncomfortably close distance of a few inches. He backed up nervously.   
  
"Why are all these Pokémon here?" Misty asked tensely as several more Rhyhorn and a Rhydon stomped up to them.  
  
"Maybe they're defending their territory," Tracey suggested. He took out his pad of paper and began sketching the Rhydon.  
  
"Are they defending it against what I think they're defending it against?" Ash murmured.  
  
"Probably..." Misty said.  
  
"So this would be a bad thing?" Brock asked.  
  
"Uh... I-I guess..." Tracey said. He stopped sketching and looked down at the angry-looking Mice.   
  
"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu assertively to the Sandslash.  
  
"Slash! Slash!" answered the Pokémon. It slashed at Pikachu, who dodged.  
  
"Pika-CHU!" Pikachu let loose a Thunder Shock. The Sandslash and a few of the Sandshrews cringed, but remained healthy. They lunged at Pikachu.  
  
"Pikachu!" Ash cried. He lifted Pikachu out of the way. The Sandslash gave him three red marks across his face.  
  
"Pikapi?!" Pikachu demanded.   
  
Ash held up a Pokéball and said, "Chikorita can handle them and--"  
  
"Ash!" Misty said, "There's at least twenty Pokémon here! Chikorita would be way outnumbered!"  
  
"Misty's right," Tracey said, "We should get out of here!"  
  
"Oh, okay," Ash said as he reluctantly put Chikorita's Pokéball back on his belt. The Rhydon roared and charged toward him. He started to turn, but Misty dragged his arm and dragged him up the mountain after Tracey and Brock.  
  
"Choki! Choki! Choki!" Togepi giggled. It climbed out of Misty's backpack and tried to balance on one foot as she ran.   
  
"Pipipi!" Pikachu cried. It ran up behind Misty and caught Togepi before it turned to scrambled eggs on the ground.   
  
"Why are we running iUP/i the mountain?!" Misty demanded as she finally released Ash's arm and let him run on his own.  
  
"Because we'd have to go through those Pokémon to go down!" Tracey informed. Still running, he took out his binoculars. About half a kilometer away, the ground turned whitish. Tracey tripped.  
  
"Did you see something?" Ash asked as he, Misty, and Brock helped Tracey up and kept running.  
  
"Snow!" Tracey said, "These Pokémon are chasing us into it!"  
  
"Snow?!" Misty demanded, "But I hate snowy mountains!"   
  
"Do you hate being mauled by angry Ground types?" Brock asked.  
  
Misty decided to run a little bit faster.   
  
"Rrrowwwrrr!" roared the Rhydon. The Pokémon chased the little group of humans into the snow. They were too busy running to see the sudden drop in elevation.  
  
"Ahh!" Misty screeched. She was the first one to slide down the steep slope. Brock and Tracey started to fall as Ash dropped to his belly and grabbed Misty's wrist.  
  
"Don't worry; I won't let go," Ash said. He tried to pull her up. Brock and Tracey landed in the snow, fairly unharmed. Ash yelped as he started to slide down the slope. One of the Sandshrews kicked Pikachu, who still held Togepi, off the edged.  
  
"Ugh!" Misty and Ash groaned as they hit the snow at the bottom of the slope. Ash grinned nervously at the angry Misty when he realized he'd landed on top of her.  
  
"Get off!" Misty pushed him away angrily.  
  
"Well, I didn't let go," Ash pointed out. Pikachu landed on the snow belly-first and sighed.  
  
Something round and light-coloured landed on and bounced off Pikachu. It then ricocheted off Ash's forehead and rolled across the snow.  
  
"Togepi?!" Misty cried, "Are you okay?" She picked the thing up. It was Togepi withdrawn into its shell.  
  
"Togi?" Togepi pouted. It hugged Misty's face.  
  
"That's good," Misty said sweetly.  
  
"Brreeee!" Togepi giggled.  
  
"Chu!" Pikachu howled as four Sandshrews jumped one at a time down the slope. They used Pikachu to break their fall.  
  
"Hey!" Ash protested as one of them dug into his backpack. The same thing happened with Tracey, Brock, and Misty.   
  
The Sandshrews seceded from the backpacks and huddled together, looking disappointed. They hopped over to Misty, examined Togepi carefully, and quickly conversed among themselves. They jumped into the slope and began tunneling through the dirt. They appeared at the top of the slope.   
  
The herd of Pokémon walked off. For a few minutes, everyone looked at where they'd been and didn't say anything. Ash broke the silence.  
  
"Can we eat yet?"  
  
  
Chapter II   
  
  
Misty hit Ash in the back of the head out of spite.  
  
"Yeah, let's rest here," Brock said, "There's a cliff edge on three sides of us, so we and our Pokémon are gonna need a lot of energy to get back up that slope."  
  
Misty sighed and sat down. She emptied her Pokéballs and revealed Staryu, Psyduck, Poliwag, and Goldeen. After seeing Goldeen's discomfort, Misty called it back.  
  
"Everyone, go!" Ash tossed out his Pokéballs. His Pokémon shivered. Ash looked at them sadly. He said softly, "Hurry and eat, guys, so you can go back into your Pokéballs until we need your help."  
  
"Bah," Ledy-ba said.  
  
"Chu," Pikachu thanked as Ash handed them all a plate of PokéFood. The others fed their Pokémon.  
  
"Choki-Choki-Choki! Brreeee!" Togepi said happily. It wolfed down as much food as its tiny stomach could hold, shivered, and folded itself up within its shell.  
  
"Pika?" Pikachu demanded suddenly. Its ears twitched. It hopped over toward the beginning of the slope.  
  
"What is it, Pikachu?" Ash asked. He stood up and walked over to his Pokémon. On the way, he tripped over Misty's foot and landed on his belly.  
  
"Watch where you're going," Misty ordered, "I'd say you're to clumsy to be a decent trainer."  
  
Ash inhaled sharply and glared at her. He said, "You'd say a lot of things..."  
  
"Pikapi!" Pikachu warned.   
  
"Huh?" Ash looked down. Right in front of his nose was a very tiny Sandshrew. It was half-buried in the snow. It was shivering, and the cold had turned its skin bluish.  
  
"Chu?" Pikachu asked.  
  
"Oh," Ash said. He carefully took it out of the snow and warmed it between his hands.  
  
"Don't mess with that thing, Ash," Misty said, "What if it's parents come back?"  
  
"I'm not going to just let it freeze," Ash said, "Unlike certain people, *I* have a heart..."  
  
"And unlike certain other people, I have a brain!" Misty shot back, "How are you supposed to be a Pokémon Master if you're dead?!"  
  
They went on arguing for a while. Pikachu tried to shut them up nonviolently, but was ignored.  
  
"This could get messy," Tracey commented, "Misty keeps insulting Ash's abilities as a trainer...."  
  
"Yep," Brock agreed, "That's his weak spot...."  
  
"Sandslash! Slash! Slash!"   
  
The Sandslash had returned. It kicked Ash in the back and knocked him into Misty. The two of them became a tangled mess as they rolled over toward the edged of the cliff. The baby Sandshrew ran behind its defender.   
  
Ash and Misty pushed away from each other. Misty's knee slipped on the snow, and she was left hanging from the cliff by her fingertips.  
  
"Misty!" Ash exclaimed. He quickly pulled her up and smiled after seeing she was okay. Misty wasn't quite as happy.  
  
"See what you did because of that Sandshrew?!" she scolded, "You nearly got me killed! I'm surprised you haven't killed one of your Pokémon yet!"  
  
"Slash!"  
  
"Look out!" Tracey and Brock warned. The Sandslash sliced through the narrow strip of ground between it and Ash and Misty.   
  
"Uh-oh..." Ash said. The last three feet on the edge of the cliff broke off with him and Misty on it. They plummeted toward the snow below. Ash gripped Misty's hand and attempted to grab hold of he cliff side. He failed, only making his hands raw... then everything went black...  
  
***  
  
Ash awoke, shook the snow off himself, and sat up. It was snowing lightly, but the icy breeze seemed more hazardous. After scanning his surroundings, Ash spotted Misty, sprawled unconscious among the endless snow.  
  
"Oh, my head!" Ash moaned. He crawled over to Misty and shook her arm. She didn't wake up. "Misty?!" Ash cried, Could she be...? He held his hand in front of her mouth and felt her warm but jerky breath.   
  
He sighed in relief and looked up. They'd fallen pretty far and were extremely lucky to be alive. Their Pokémon and their backpacks were at the top of the cliff with Tracey and Brock.  
  
"It'll be okay," Ash said, partially to himself and partially to Misty, even though she couldn't hear him. He took off his jacket, lifted Misty into a sitting position, and wrapped it around her.   
  
He looked around, hoping to see someone coming to the rescue. Seeing no one, he picked Misty up and started walking in what looked like it might be a way back up.  
  
After a while, Misty opened her eyes weakly. Her vision was filled with the black cloth of Ash's shirt, so she had no clue where she was. Ash sat down on a large snow-covered rock to rest. He hugged Misty, trying to keep her warm.  
  
"Ash?" Misty asked quietly.  
  
"Misty, you're awake!" Ash said, "Are you okay?"  
  
"My head and ankle hurt," she murmured.  
  
"Your ankle?" Ash wondered.  
  
"Yeah... I can't even feel my other ankle though...or my hands..."  
  
Ash looked nervous, "Then we better keep going. Can you walk?"  
  
"Yeah," Misty assumed. She stood up, shrieked, and fell to knees.  
  
"What?! What's wrong?" Ash demanded.  
  
"Maybe my ankle hurts more than I thought," Misty moaned.  
  
"It might be broken," Ash said, "I'm surprised I don't have any broken bones."  
  
"Oh," Misty moaned, "Now what?"  
  
"There's nothing to make a splint or a bandage out of around here," Ash said, "but I wouldn't know how to put it on you there was. I think our best bet is to just try and get out of here."  
  
"How?" Misty asked.  
  
"Don't be so detail-oriented," Ash said, thinking. Upon these words, Misty struggled not to whack him upside the head again. Ash sighed. He carefully picked Misty up again.  
  
Misty smiled sweetly, then turned her head to see where they were going. She thought, I hope Brock and Tracey find us....   
  
  
  
Chapter III  
  
Tracey, Brock, Pikachu, and Togepi walked through the mountains calling Ash and Misty's names. Something caught Pikachu's eye.  
  
"Pi?" it looked up and saw something large and blue.  
  
***  
  
Ash sat down on another rock and helped Misty into a sitting position beside him. He was breathing hard and he looked tired.  
  
"Are you okay?" Misty asked, "Is carrying me around wearing you out?"  
  
Ash shook his head. Misty looked saddened because of his fatigue. She saw something bluish on the snow next to her and picked it up. It was a six-inch-long blue feather.  
  
"This is pretty," she said.  
  
"Here's more," Ash handed her a pair of slightly shorter feathers, "I don't know what kind of Pokémon these came from, but it must have been molting."  
  
Misty sighed and said, "If I'd known we'd be stuck in the snow, I would have brought warm clothes."  
  
Ash laughed, "If I'd known we'd be falling off cliffs, I would have brought a really big cushion."  
  
"You know, that fall WAS your fault," Misty said snobbishly.  
  
"Hey," Ash said, "be at least a LITTLE nicer to me, or else...."  
  
"...Or else what?" Misty prodded.  
  
"...Or else I'll just leave you here."  
  
Misty didn't say anything else. She stared at the three shiny feathers as she twirled them in fingers.  
  
***  
  
Back with the others, Pikachu used its electric attacks as Morse code to communicate with the blue thing in the sky. It swooped down and landed in front of the group.  
"Th-that's Articuno!" Tracey said fearfully, "It's one-of-a-kind, so it's gotta be the same one we met before..."  
  
"Cue-no..." Articuno grumbled. It was angry about being delayed.   
  
Despite the bird's glare, Pikachu stayed assertive and said, "Pikachu pika, pika CHU!"  
  
"Art?" Articuno said indifferently.  
  
"Pika-Pikachu Pika! Pi-pi pi-pika-chu!" Pikachu said, "Pi-KA, pika pi-ka... Chu?"  
  
"Ar?" Articuno chirped laughingly, "Cuno!"  
  
"Pi? Pika-chu?" Pikachu pleaded.  
  
"No!" Articuno squawked rudely. It turned its beak up insolently and started to take flight.  
  
"Chu! Pika-pika!" Pikachu called desperately. It was enraged by being blown off.   
  
"Ar-tih!" Articuno muttered and fell after being electrocuted. It was such a strong Pokémon that the Thunder Shock didn't hurt it too badly.  
  
"Choki! Choki!" Togepi said, waddling up.  
  
"Tih!" Articuno used Peck on Togepi. Togepi was sent rolling backward. Its shell gave it a good defense, but it now had a crack in the front.  
  
"Toe?" Togepi pouted. It leaped forward, socked Articuno in the eye with Pound, jumped on its head, and yanked out one of the feathers in its crest.   
  
"Art!" Articuno squawked.  
  
"Toe! Choki, Choki!" Togepi said angrily.  
  
"Ar-tih!" Articuno shook violently, trying to remove Togepi, "Articuno!"  
  
"Choki! Choki! Brreeee!"  
  
"AR!" Articuno squealed as it was surrounded by a purple glow.  
  
"Pipipi?" Pikachu asked, sounding impressed, "Pika Pikachu?"  
  
"Toe-geh! Choki! Choki! Choki-brreeee!" Togepi looked to Articuno, "Toe-geh-pri?"  
  
"Art!" Articuno muttered defiantly.  
  
"Pika!" Pikachu grinned evilly and made its cheeks flash, "Pika-pika! Pikachu, pika-ka pika-pi-chu..."  
  
Articuno was silent for a long time.  
  
"Ar-tih," Articuno said softly. It lowered its head shamefully.   
  
"Pika!" Pikachu said cheerfully, "Pi-Pikachu!" It hopped onto Articuno's neck and waved to Tracey and Brock, who both looked *extremely* confused. "Pikachu ka Pipipi pika Pikapi ka Cha! Pi chu ka Pikachu Pika."  
  
"I-I think Pikachu wants us to find a Pokémon Center," Brock said.  
  
"Yeah," Tracey agreed as Articuno flew away with Pikachu and Togepi.  
  
"Ash and Misty won't be happy about this...." Brock said.  
  
Ash and Misty continued voicelessly on their way. Misty was deep in thought. Ash tripped, and they both fell onto the snow.  
  
"Are you okay?" Ash asked.  
  
"Uh-huh," Misty said weakly.  
  
"Maybe we should build a cave before it gets dark," Ash suggested, remembering the last time he was trapped in the snow.  
  
"Yeah," Misty agreed. She got onto her knees and started digging in the snow. Ash helped her.  
  
"Be careful, okay?" he asked her, "I don't want you to hurt yourself."  
  
Misty stopped digging and glared at him, "How stupid and weak do you think I am?"  
  
She's touchy. I should've kept my mouth shut... Ash thought. He stuttered, "I...I don't think you're weak...but you're injured. I don't want you to work too hard and make your ankle worse."  
  
ddMisty softened, "Okay, I'll be carefully."  
  
ddAsh smiled and let out a very quiet sigh of relief. He thought, IIf I'm gonna be trapped in the snow with no one else but Misty, I oughta try to make sure she's not mad at me./I The two of them continued digging until their hands were numb.  
  
dd "Use your jacket," Misty said. She took Ash's jacket off and gave it back to him. He covered his hands with it and kept digging. It wasn't long before his hands were so cold that the jacket didn't do much good.  
  
dd "I wish our Pokémon were here and could help," Ash said. He took Misty's hands and breathed on them.   
  
ddMisty's eyes got droopy. She closed them.  
  
dd "Don't go to sleep," Ash warned, "You'll freeze." He shook her every few seconds to keep her awake. His stomach growled.  
  
ddDespite the situation, Misty let out a very small laugh and mumbled, "You're Ialways/I hungry."  
  
ddAfter their hands were a little warmer, they continued digging. The cave they dug was very small, but it was big enough. They crawled it and plastered the opening shut with snow. Ash put his jacket back around Misty.  
  
dd "What's this?" Misty wondered. She pulled something out of the wall-another feather. This one, however, was only two inches wide and about six feet long. Misty said, "These feathers are beautiful..."  
  
dd "Yeah," Ash said, sort of spacey, "When you're in a dangerous place like this, it's nice to have beautiful things around to remind you of what you'd loose if you didn't make it. It's hard to stay alive if you don't have the motive."  
  
ddMisty blinked, confused. She asked, "You get all that from a couple of feathers?"  
  
ddAsh blushed and stuttered, "W-well, not exactly...."  
  
ddMisty shrugged and dropped the subject. She slid up against Ash to stay warm. Ash blushed again.  
  
***  
  
ddAs night fell, Articuno chirped at Pikachu.  
  
dd "Pikapi..." Pikachu whispered. It said to Articuno, "Pi-pi pika!"  
  
dd "Pri?" Togepi pouted as Articuno swerved right and headed toward the mountain's peak. It came to rest in a large nest on the cliffs. Togepi rolled off the bird and into the nest beside it.  
  
dd "Pipipi..." Pikachu said uneasily. It chose to stay on Articuno's back. Articuno grumbled and tried to go to sleep.  
  
dd "Togi?" Togepi questioned from below.  
  
dd "Tih," Articuno turned away, but Togepi had already seen the icy liquid coming from its eyes...  
  
***  
  
ddAsh dug a tiny hole through the sealed door of the cave with his fingers. The sun was up, but low. He looked at Misty. She had been trying anything to stay awake. Her last resort was doing her hair. She had had about fifty different hairstyles over the course of the night.  
  
dd "We should keep moving now," Ash said.  
  
ddMisty gave a smile of relief, but no words. Her hair had a thin ponytail and the rest of it hung down. She yawned, shook her head, and stuck the ends of the feathers into her hair barrette. Ash sighed and blushed before shoving at the snow of the door. He crawled out then helped Misty.  
  
dd "Were we heading that way?" Misty asked, pointing.  
  
ddAsh examined the cliffs and said, "Yeah. Let's keep going."  
  
dd "You're too gracious for your own good," Misty said as Ash picked her up and started walking.  
  
dd "Don't remind me," he muttered. Upon her amicable smile, his face reddened again. There was a sharp guttural sound in the distance. Ash stopped walking. It had come from the direction they were going.  
  
dd "What was that?" Misty asked.  
  
dd "I don't know," Ash admitted. He kept walking. The wind picked up. Ash and Misty cringed from the sudden chill. Ash pulled his jacket, which was still on Misty, up a little to block the wind from her face.  
  
ddIHe's making too big a fuss over me,/I Misty thought, IWhy is he being so nice all of a sudden?/I  
  
ddThe only thing that allowed Ash to keep walking was that the muscles in his legs had become practically automated. With each rhythmic step, he felt more like he was going to collapse.  
  
ddII have to keep going,/I he thought, /INot just for me, for Misty./I  
  
ddHe collapsed onto his knees.  
  
dd "Ash!" Misty blurted, "Are you okay?"  
  
dd "Yeah," Ash gasped, "Just give me a minute." He sat there on the snow. He let his muscles rest a few minutes, but he was still breathing heavily when he tried to pick Misty back up.  
  
dd "No," Misty said and pushed him away gently, "Keep going. I don't want you to get stuck out here."  
  
dd "Keep going?" Ash asked, "Without you?"  
  
dd "Yeah, go," Misty said, "I'll be okay."  
  
dd "You'll be okay?" Ash demanded, "You have frostbite and a broken ankle. And you'll be okay stuck out in the middle of a snowy mountain? Like I'm that dense!"  
  
dd "Fine," Misty admitted, "So, I won't be okay, but I'll be better off knowing you have a better chance of making it. "  
  
dd "And where does that leave me?" Ash said. He picked her up, but she struggled.  
  
dd "Go, you idiot!" she snapped.  
  
dd "'Go' is not in my vocabulary," Ash insisted as Misty shoved at his head, "along with all those little words that shouldn't be said. Yet I may add a few of those if you don't start cooperating!" Misty wiggled around so much that he accidentally dropped her.  
  
dd "Ahh!" she shrieked. She'd hurt her ankle when she fell.  
  
dd "Are you okay?!" Ash asked quickly. He kneeled next to her.  
  
ddShe shoved him back and snapped, "Are you just worried about what people will think of you if you left some girl here to find her own way? Is that more important than your life?!"  
  
dd "No. I'm worried about what I'll will think of myself if l left one of my closest friends here to die..."  
  
dd "...Just go..." she pleaded.  
  
dd "I'll go, but I'm taking you with me whether you like it or not," Ash said softly. "You can either let me carry you, or you can make it harder on the both of us by making me drag along you as if I were taking out the garbage. It's your choice, because I don't have much of a say in whether or not you act like a maniac."  
  
  
  
Chapter IV  
  
ddMisty closed her eyes as tight as she could and didn't fight when Ash picked her up again and continued their journey. The sound they'd heard before continued.  
  
dd "It sounds a little like a car or something," Ash said, "A car with engine problems. Might be people."  
  
ddAfter a minute or so, Misty mumbled, "You look like your arms are about to fall off. Why won't you leave me here?"  
  
dd "We've been over this, an-" Ash abruptly stopped talking and froze in his steps when he looked down at her. Misty didn't cry often, but she was then. Ash sighed and tried to be humorous, "Even if my arms did fall off, I'd bite your hair and pull you."  
  
dd "To where?"  
  
dd "Huh?"  
  
dd "Where are going?" Misty asked.  
  
dd "Up there," Ash said. He turned his head up toward the cliffs.  
  
dd "It would be easier without me..." she started sobbing intensely.  
  
dd "No, it wouldn't."  
  
dd "Yes, it would. Stop trying to be a hero."  
  
ddIHow much can I say without saying too much? ...Okay, time to spill it.../I Ash sighed, "Look, Misty... Last time I got trapped in the snow, the fact that Pikachu wouldn't survive without me was what kept me going. But Pikachu isn't here now, so you're my motivation."  
  
dd "But still...."  
  
dd "You're whining, stop-"  
  
ddBONK!  
  
dd "I'm not whining!" Misty protested after hitting Ash in the head.  
  
dd "Okay," Ash accepted. He thought, IAt least she's acting fairly normal now. She feels warmer than I thought she would though. Her skin isn't blue anymore either.../I  
  
ddHe kept walking until they'd just barely started to circle the cliff. They saw a plain off-white truck stuck in the snow.   
  
ddThe motor was making a lot of noise, but not quite as much as the yelling from within the truck. The voices were muffled and vaguely familiar.  
  
dd "Get out and PUSH!" yelled a non-muffled female voice.  
  
ddThe back door of the truck opened and a person flew out as if he had been kicked or thrown. He stumbled up and was immediately recognized by his indigo hair.  
  
dd "The twerps!" James yelled.  
  
dd "Uh-oh," Ash muttered.  
  
dd "PIKACHU?!" Jessie and Meowth demanded.  
  
dd "Prepare for tempest trouble!" Jessie cried. She tripped while getting out of the truck.  
  
dd "And make it frosty double!" James said.  
  
dd "...To protect the world from devastation!" Jessie said, trying to climb out of the snow in which she was stuck.  
  
dd "To unite all peoples within our nation!"  
  
dd "To denounce-" Jessie fell flat on her face, "the evils of truth and love!"  
  
dd "To-"  
  
dd "Put a sock in it, you two!" Meowth interrupted from behind Ash and Misty, "Pikachu's not even here!"  
  
ddJessie finally got up and joined James in looking confused. After a moment, they cracked up laughing.  
  
dd "What's so funny?" Ash asked.  
  
dd "And you call Ius/I weird!" James laughed.  
  
dd "Yet the two of you seem to think that this is a good place for a honeymoon!" Jessie giggled.  
  
dd "Why you..." Misty grumbled as her face turned red.  
  
ddAsh blushed, glared, and said, "That's not funny..."  
  
ddThey continued laughing, then stopped abruptly. Jessie prodded, "Okay, twerp. Where Iis/I your little electric rodent?"  
  
dd "I don't know."  
  
dd "What kind of Pokémon Trainer doesn't know where his Pokémon are?" James asked.  
  
dd "The kind of Pokémon Trainer that accidentally falls off cliffs and prefers to be left alone," Ash said. He began to sidestep in the direction he'd been heading.  
  
dd "FREEZE!" Meowth ordered, then added, "Not literally..."  
  
dd "Rocket huddle!" Jessie exclaimed. She, James, and Meowth huddled together and began whispering. Ash continued trying to tiptoe away, but the snow beneath his feet made a loud crunching sound with each step. Team Rocket broke up their huddle. James walked over to Ash and Misty.  
  
dd "Listen up, Shorty," James said to Ash, "We have a proposition for you."  
  
dd "Not interested," Ash said.  
  
dd "Think about this," James said tauntingly, "You're stuck in a snowstorm. You have no food, no transportation, and no first aid. You don't seem prepared, and I doubt that you really know where you're going. And I can tell by looking at her that your girlfriend's not in the greatest physical condition."  
  
dd "What's you point?" Ash snapped. He tried not to show his embarrassment that came with Misty being called his girlfriend.  
  
dd "Without one another, neither of us have a very good chance of ever finding your Poké-pal," James said, "Why don't you come with us? We'll help you find it Iand/I keep you alive."  
  
dd "Forget it!" Ash said, "I'm not gonna lead you to Pikachu!"  
  
dd "Think of it as any other situation where we popped in, except you'll pop in with us," James said, "If you won't consider your own safety...consider hers." He pointed to Misty.  
  
ddAsh cringed.  
  
"Don't trust him, Ash!" Misty ordered, "They're up to no good!"  
  
dd "Aren't we always?" Jessie piped up.  
  
ddII can't trust them, /IAsh thought. IIt's Team Rocket...but we might not survive this cold... I can't let Misty down...but still.../I  
  
dd "Don't, Ash," Misty said.  
  
dd "Well...?" Jessie asked.  
  
dd "Come on," Meowth urged, "It's cold out here!"  
  
dd "Hurry..." James prodded.  
  
dd "Fine...." Ash said.  
  
dd "What?!" Misty demanded.  
  
dd "...We'll go with you...." Ash said. He lowered his head shamefully. He shut his eyes as tight as possible for a few seconds in order to avoid Misty's angry laser beam-like glare.  
  
dd "I think you made the right choice," Jessie said, "You can get in the back of our truck with Meowth."  
  
dd "What?" Meowth asked.  
  
dd "What Iare/I you doing?!" Misty demanded.  
  
dd "They want our Pokémon not us," Ash said, "And we'll still be around when they find them this way."  
  
dd "But they're Team Rocket, remember?!"  
  
dd "Be quiet, or I'll leave you here," Ash said.  
  
dd "I rather be left here than go anywhere with them!" Misty shrieked.  
  
dd "Come on, I don't like it either, but..."   
  
dd "You're Iso/I stubborn!" Misty cried.  
  
***  
  
ddAt the crack of dawn, Articuno was awake. It turned its head to look at Pikachu, who was still sleeping on its back. It stood very quietly and took one step to the edge of the nest.  
  
dd "Chu?" Pikachu asked sleepily.   
  
dd "Ar..." Articuno groaned.  
  
dd "Pipipi!" Pikachu said, more awaked.  
  
dd "Choki! Choki!" Togepi jumped onto Articuno's head.  
  
dd "Pika-pika!" Pikachu said boldly, "Pi-pi-Pikachu! Pi!"  
  
dd "Tih," Articuno muttered and did nothing.  
  
dd "Cha!" Pikachu threw Togepi into the air, then used Thunderbolt on Articuno. The giggling Togepi was caught and placed back on the partially-fried bird's head.  
  
dd "Brreeee!" Togepi laughed.  
  
dd "Cue-no," Articuno whimpered. It spread its wings and swooped down off the cliff. It soared gracefully and looked around. It seemed almost desperate. Its powerful eyes spotted a Sandslash on the non-snowy section of the mountain.  
  
ddPikachu saw too, but wasn't worried.  
  
dd "Ar-tih!" Articuno folded its wings back, turned its body downward, and began a super-fast aerial dive.  
  
dd "Cha!" Pikachu cried, surprised.  
  
dd "Choki, Choki, Choki!" Togepi giggled.  
  
dd "NO!" Articuno squawked. It spread its wings and swooped only centimetres above the head of the extremely surprised Sandslash. It flew past about twenty metres, swooped upward about ten metres, did the perfect aeronautical U-turn, skimmed the tips of the grass, and snatched the Sandslash by the tail with its beak.   
  
dd "SLASH?!" the Sandslash demanded. It climbed onto Articuno's head after its tail was released. Togepi was sideswiped over between its wings with Pikachu.  
  
ddArticuno used its momentum to swoop expertly upward. It flapped for more altitude.  
  
dd "Tih-Arty-Ar-tih. Tih-Cuno-no. Articuno. Cue no?" Articuno whispered to the Sandslash.  
  
dd "Slash!" the Sandslash whispered back, "Sandslash, slash, slash."  
  
dd "Tih!" Articuno snapped at its tail angrily.  
  
dd "Ar-Articuno," Articuno whispered. It tossed its head, sending Sandslash onto its right shoulder near Pikachu and Togepi. Articuno turned sharply right, causing the Sandslash to roll off its wingtip and fall about two feet onto the snow.  
  
dd "Sand..." the Sandslash moaned.  
  
dd "CUNO!" Articuno threatened as it flew out of the Pokémon's sight.  
  
  
  
Chapter V  
  
ddIn the back of Team Rocket's truck, there was their deflated and folded-up hot-air balloon. On the same side of the truck, in the corner right behind the cab, was a large square basket full of blankets. Meowth laid on top of the blankets. Also toward the front, but on the other side of the truck, was Ash and Misty. Jessie and James were unseen in the cab.  
  
ddAsh leaned against the wall, and Misty sat next to him with her injured leg propped up on a small pile of blankets. She made a point to stare nonstop at the floor between her and Meowth.  
  
dd "Are you mad?" Ash asked quietly.  
  
ddMisty barely glanced at him.  
  
ddIGuess that's a yes, /IAsh thought. He accidentally started staring at her. He thought, II'm doing my best. Why is she mad? I've always been an optimist, but how can I be optimistic about this? ...Well, she bis/b cute when she's angry... She's pretty all the time though. If only-/I  
  
ddHis thoughts were interrupted by Team Rocket's truck backfiring.   
  
dd "Get back out there and fix it again!" Jessie snapped at James.  
  
dd "Fine," James mumbled. He got out of the truck, tromped through the snow, and began investigating under the hood.  
  
dd "Why don't you get some rest?" Ash said to Misty.  
  
dd "Here?" Misty demanded quietly and glared at him, "Do you just get stupider every second, or what?"  
  
dd "I knew I should have left you behind," Ash muttered.  
  
ddMisty quickly whipped her head back around to the direction she had been staring.  
  
dd "If you get a little sleep now," Ash said, "I'll make sure nothing happens."  
  
dd "Big words from the person who got us into this mess," Misty said snidely, "You just had to go and mess with that stupid Sandshrew and get us knock off that cliff. Then you just had to go and get us put in the vehicle belonging to our worst enemies."  
  
dd "I knew I should have left you behind," Ash repeated. He thought, I And in the midst of all that, I just had to go and risk my life, make things harder on myself, deal with a snobby brat, and sacrifice the last of my dignity by making a deal with Team Rocket. And for what? For her. Not just for her life, but for her comfort. And she still hates me! Still! After all I did for her! ...What else can I do to make her hate me just a little less?  
  
He should have left me behind, /IMisty thought. II'd rather be trapped in the snow than trapped in a truck with Team Rocket. He didn't leave me because it'd make him look bad if he survived. He wanted to leave me because he hates me. Why does he have to hate me? I really do care about him.../I  
  
***  
  
dd "Pika!" Pikachu cried. It, Togepi, and Articuno flew over a truck that appeared to be stranded in the middle of the mountain. There was no doubt who the person working under the hood was. James.  
  
dd "Toe?" Togepi asked as James entered the truck and drove off.  
  
dd "Pipipi?" Pikachu asked, "Pi-pika Cha ka Pikapi pi-ka-ka pi-chu-ka pi?"  
  
dd "Choki," Togepi said.  
  
ddThe truck half-drove-half-slid down the long partially smooth slope.  
  
dd "Pikachu-pi!" Pikachu shouted to Articuno, "Pi-!"  
  
dd "Art!" Articuno cut Pikachu off and dived at the truck.  
  
dd "Pika?" Pikachu asked, confused.  
  
dd "Cuno!" Articuno used Ice Beam and made a short wall of ice in front of the truck!"  
  
dd "Ahh!" James shrieked at the suddenly appearing ice. The truck rammed into it and was thrust awkwardly into the air.  
  
dd "What's happening?!" Meowth demanded as the truck swerved crazily in the air and the balloon landed on top of him. The truck started to swerve off the cliff. Jessie and James screamed and hugged each other.  
  
dd "Ar! Ar! Ar!" Articuno squawked as if terrified. Articuno dived after the truck, swooped under it upside-down, and aimed its Blizzard attack upward toward the truck. Along with the snow and hail that hit Jessie and James in the face, the attack included a huge burst of wind that slowed the truck's fall.  
  
dd "Ahh!" Misty screamed in pain. The movement of the truck had made her bump her ankle.  
  
dd "Are you okay?!" Ash asked. He tried to hold her still, but she pulled away and slid across the truck into Meowth and his basket. The basket tipped and spilled the blankets, a heating pad, and Meowth across the truck. Something large, egg-shaped, and light blue also rolled out. Meowth caught it as if it were the most important thing in the world.  
  
ddThe fall of the truck made everything seem to float. Misty's fear took over her anger and she clung to Ash's shoulders.  
  
ddJessie opened the door between the back of the truck and the cab. She demanded, "How's the egg?!"  
  
"Egg?" Ash and Misty wondered.  
  
dd "Unlike us, it's fine!" Meowth said, seeing out the shattered windshield. He squealed, "Do something or we're all gonna be scrambled!"  
  
dd "Ar! Ar!" Articuno squealed. It grabbed the truck's back axial with its talons and flapped furiously to no avail. It kept on flapping despite its aching wings.  
  
dd "Ash?" Misty asked. They were both pressed against the back wall of the truck.  
  
dd "Yeah?"  
  
dd "You're the insanely heroic one. How do we get out of this mess?"  
  
dd "Uh, well...um...."  
  
dd "Oh!" Misty moaned.  
  
ddIIf we live, I'll probably regret this,/I Ash thought to himself, Ibut it's probably now or never.../I  
  
dd "Isn't there some way..." Misty whimpered. She saw Ash take a deep breath. He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Before she could respond, a piece of floating debris hit her in the side of the head.  
  
dd "Misty?!" Ash cried as she went limp. She was unconscious.  
  
ddBack outside, Pikachu wondered, "Chu?" when seeing tears pour from Articuno's eyes.  
  
dd "Pri!" Togepi pouted pityingly. It jumped onto the axial next to Articuno's big claws.  
  
dd "Pipipi!" Pikachu called, "Pika-Pikachu! KA!"  
  
dd "Toe!" Togepi cried out defiantly. It looked at Articuno's tears and began pulling at the very axial it was standing on.  
  
dd "Cha...!" Pikachu sighed, understanding Togepi's good intentions. It called, "Pipipi! P-pika!"  
  
  
  
Chapter VI  
  
ddTogepi nodded, stood up on the axial, grabbed it with one tiny hand, waved the other arm, and chanted, "Choki, Choki, Choki!"   
  
dd "AR!" Articuno screeched in surprise as Togepi, the axial, and the truck disappeared. It looked around frantically. At the base of the mountain, which wasn't far away now, there was a Pokémon Center. Something appeared in front of it.   
  
ddIt was the truck. Articuno with Pikachu dived down just in time to see Togepi waddle proudly out from beneath it.  
  
dd "What on Earth?!" Pikachu heard the Nurse Joy in the Center say as she came out. She looked surprised to say the least. Tracey and Brock came out behind her.   
  
dd "Yah! What happened?!" Jessie screamed as she and James burst out of the truck. Meowth opened the back door and looked appalled. He poked the grass with his foot, then jumped back as if he were expecting it to reach out and bite him. He screamed and dashed under the truck when the furious blue Bird of Ice landed next to him.  
  
dd "Pikapi!" Pikachu cried as Ash stumbled dizzily out of the truck. The electric rodent jumped into its trainer's arms.  
  
dd "Pikachu! You're okay!"  
  
dd "Pika-pi-KA!"  
  
dd "It's Pikachu!" James exclaimed.  
  
dd "Operation: Manual Pika-napping!" Jessie ordered. James quickly put on rubber gloves. He nabbed Pikachu right out of Ash's hands and ran.  
  
dd "Hey! Give me back my Pikachu!" Ash cried. He jumped back into the truck and came out with the egg. Articuno stiffened. The egg was large and light blue with dark blue speckles.  
  
dd "The twerp's got the egg!" Jessie cried. They stopped running and turned around.  
  
dd "What kinda Pokémon Egg did you say this was?" Ash called mockingly.  
  
dd "Pika-pi-chu!" Pikachu cried, pointing to Articuno.  
  
dd "What's that, Pikachu?" Ash asked, "It's Articuno's egg? So I guess it would hatch into an Articuno."  
  
dd "An Articuno?!" Jessie and James repeated with hearts it their eyes.  
  
dd "You'd like to have a Pokémon like that, huh?" Ash said, "But I bet this little eggie here breaks real easy, huh?"  
  
dd "Ar!" Articuno squealed. It took a step forward and obliviously stepped on Meowth, who had been trying to snatch the egg.  
  
dd "Which is more valuable? Pikachu or Articuno?" James asked Jessie.  
  
dd "Articuno," Jessie said, "I'm sure he's willing to trade."  
  
dd "If my Pikachu is returned to its rightful owner," Ash said, "then the egg will too."  
  
dd "Give us the egg first," Jessie said as she and James walked over to him.  
  
dd "You heard what I said I'd do, and I meant it," Ash said, "Iafter/I I get my Pikachu. I'm one of the good guys, remember. I always keep my promises."  
  
dd "He's got a point," James said.  
  
ddBack in the truck, Misty's eyes trembled and opened.  
  
dd "Fine," Jessie said. James handed Pikachu to Ash. Ash handed the egg over...to Nurse Joy.  
  
dd "Get it outta here!" Ash ordered. Though confused, Nurse Joy ran toward the door of the Center.  
dd  
"Hey! You promised!" Jessie protested.  
  
dd "I promised I'd return it to its rightful owner," Ash said, "So as soon as you three are out of here, Articuno's gonna be taking it home!"  
  
dd "Cue!" Articuno said happily.   
  
dd "Me-OW!" Meowth ran up and snatched the egg from Joy.  
  
dd "Go, Marill!" Tracey ordered. He stole the egg from Meowth.  
  
dd "Go, Lickitung!" Jessie called.  
  
dd "Get 'em Victreebel!" James ordered.   
  
dd "Lick-ee!"  
  
dd "E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E!"  
  
ddLickitung used its tongue to grab the egg.  
  
dd "M-Marill!" Marill bit Lickitung's tongue and Pikachu caught the egg, but was practically squashed by it. Victreebel nabbed it with Vine Whip, and then Brock ran past and snatch it. James laughed as he stole it from Brock.  
  
dd "Cuno!" Articuno swooped down on James and grabbed the egg in its talons. Lickitung paralyzed the bird just long enough for Victreebel to take the egg. It was then stolen by someone else, but everyone had dived on Victreebel at once, so it was hard to tell who.  
  
dd "Where is it?!" Brock cried.  
  
dd "That thing is our ticket to money galore!" Jessie shrieked.  
  
dd "It's not your ticket to anything!" Tracey snapped.  
  
dd "Don't break it!" Nurse Joy pleaded.  
  
dd "E-E-E-E-E-E-E!" shrieked the squashed Victreebel.  
  
ddAsh and the egg were on the other side of the truck.  
  
dd "Togi?"  
  
dd "Togepi?" Ash wondered. He kneeled next to it and said, "I know I'm not your trainer, but I have a hunch that you know Teleport. Can you use Teleport to take this egg and hide it in the Pokémon Center?"  
  
dd "Choki! Choki! Choki!" Togepi agreed.  
  
ddCrack!  
  
dd "Huh?" Ash wondered. A crack had appeared in the egg. "Hurry!" he said to Togepi.  
  
ddTogepi put a hand on the egg and waved its free arm. It and the egg disappeared.  
  
ddAsh headed back to the others to pretend to still be feuding over the egg. He passed Misty who was still in the truck and had heard what he'd said to Togepi.  
  
ddConfused, she hobbled cautiously out to help.  
  
dd "E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E!" Victreebel used Razor Leaf. Ash and Misty were knocked into Articuno and were rolled into a jumble. Misty gasped in pain from her ankle.  
  
ddTogepi stood on a table and cautiously looked out the window of the Center.  
  
ddCrack! Crack!  
  
ddThe egg was cracking from the inside as its occupant tried to hatch out. The top of the egg was blown clear off and was replaced by a large clump of light-blue fuzz with eyes. The eyes blinked and came into focus. The first thing it saw was the jumbled heap of Articuno, Ash, and Misty.  
  
dd "Fra!" it squawked. It climbed clumsily out of the egg and smooth its feathers. It was lighter than Articuno. The puff of feathers on Articuno's chest was just a 2D lighter-coloured spot on this little bird. It had a Pidgey-like crest and beak. Its wings and tail were short and stubby. It watched curiously as the jumbled mess of heroes got up and resumed what they were doing.  
  
dd "Togi?" Togepi asked. It looked from Articuno to the hatchling and back again repeatedly. It scratched its head.  
  
dd "Fra! Fra! Tee!" the bird chirped. It walked uncouthly over to the window and even tried to go walk through it. Seeing its passage blocked by a partially invisible wall, it tried out its Peck attack.  
  
dd "Togi, Togi," Togepi warned. It tried to push bird away from the window and was shoved away. The bird went back to weakly pecking the window.  
  
dd "Who's got da egg?!" Meowth demanded, back outside.  
  
dd "Someone has to have it!" Brock said.  
  
ddThere was the sound of shattering glass and everyone looked toward the Pokémon Center.   
  
  
  
Chapter VII  
  
ddThe ball of feathers jumped out the broken window, flapped awkwardly, and landed heavily, but safely, on the grass. It waddled quickly toward Articuno.  
  
dd "Choki! Choki! Choki!" Togepi cried warningly and ran after it.  
  
dd "Cuno!" Articuno cried.  
  
dd "Dat's IourI boid!" Meowth screamed and lunged for it. He snatched it as he ran by Articuno.  
  
dd "Fra!" the bird squealed fearfully.  
  
dd "Ar!" Articuno protested. Not having enough time to fly, it ran after Meowth.  
  
dd "Yah! Catch diss tang!" Meowth said. He stopped and threw the hatchling with all his might. It somersaulted over Articuno and into Victreebel's Vine Whip.  
  
dd "Fra!" squawked the bird.  
  
dd "Pi-KA!" Pikachu shouted. It kicked Victreebel, and the newly appearing Scyther caught the hatchling with surprising gentleness.  
  
dd "Char!" Arbok snatched it in its jaws and slithered away.  
  
ddOnix materialized and used Rock Throw. A rock landed and Arbok's tail, making the snake stop suddenly and painfully.  
  
dd "Ling!" the baby squealed. It was hurled through the air by Arbok's momentum. Misty caught it, but was knocked down in the process. She cringed from the pain in her ankle, but smiled at the bird anyway.  
  
dd "It's okay," Misty said sweetly, "We won't let them have you."  
  
ddHer tone made Ash smiled and blush.  
  
dd "Fra!" the bird smiled at Misty and was snatched away as Jessie ran past.  
  
dd "Hey!" Misty yelled.  
  
dd "Finders keepers!" Jessie laughed.  
  
dd "Marill!" Marill shot a Water Gun at Jessie and allowed Tracey to nab the bird.  
  
dd "Fra! Fra! Frozz!" the bird cried.  
  
dd "It's okay," Tracey said.  
  
dd "Ling! Frozz-ling!" the bird had the expression of a lost child. It looked around forlornly. It smiled when it saw Ash helping Misty up. It flapped its wings ineffectually.  
  
dd "Hey, hold still!" Tracey said. The bird wiggled away, landed on the ground, and quickly stumbled toward Ash and Misty.  
  
dd "Hey, little guy!" Misty said kindly.  
  
ddThere was a whirring sound right before the bird leaped into Misty arms. While in mid-leap, the bird began to get sucked backward.  
  
ddSHLOOP!  
  
ddThe bird was sucked into a large vacuum hose that James had. It emerged into a cage on the other end of the hose.  
  
dd "Frozz-ling?" the bird whimpered. It stood up and stretched its neck through the bars toward Articuno, who fighting with Arbok, Lickitung, and Victreebel.  
  
dd "The balloon's ready!" Meowth called. He had been fixing the balloon up. Weezing had used its gas to fuel the fire. It was now ready for use.  
  
dd "Hah-hah!" Jessie laughed as she and James jumped into the basket with the caged hatchling.  
  
dd "Fra?" it whimpered. Meowth climbed in and poked at it with his tail. The baby clamped its beak on the tail.  
  
dd "YOW!" Meowth screamed as the balloon began to drift away.  
  
dd "Get back here with that bird!" Ash ordered.  
  
dd "Ar! Ar!" Articuno cried. Team Rocket recalled their Pokémon as they flew off. This freed Articuno. It flew after the balloon.  
  
dd "Hmph!" Ash said, "They won't stand a chance against Articuno!"  
  
dd "Ar-tih!" Articuno approached the balloon.   
  
dd "Get the High-powered Electric Net!" Jessie ordered.  
  
dd "Yes, sir!" James said. He sat the bird down and got out a large gun. He fired it and a Magikarp-shaped bullet shot toward Articuno. The bullet exploded, revealing a big net that snared Articuno.  
  
dd "Ar-AR!" Articuno shrieked as it was electrocuted by the net. It fell to the ground and the electricity stopped.  
  
dd "Fra! Fra! Fra!" the hatchling shrieked.  
  
dd "You're coming with us now," Jessie said.   
  
dd "Frrr..." the baby strained its muscles as Jessie looked back down. Ash was running over to help Articuno. He released Chikorita, who cut the net with Razor Leaf.  
  
dd "They think that freeing Articuno will stop us?" Jessie laughed, "We crammed about ten Thunderbolt attacks into the net. Arty isn't gonna be getting up for a while!"  
  
ddShe and her partners practically laughed their heads off.  
  
dd "Frrrrrrr-AH-St!" the bird squeaked as it spread its stubby wings and used Ice Beam. The attack with pretty weak, but it was enough to freeze the last twenty centimetres of Jessie's hair.  
  
dd "Ahh!" she screamed.  
  
dd "Ling!" the baby used Peck on the block of ice that hung from Jessie's head. The ice and the hair inside it shattered like the window of the Pokémon Centre. This left Jessie with neatly trimmed hair.  
  
dd "Ahh! My hair!" Jessie cried as she burst into tears, "Why do bad things IalwaysI have to happen to my otherwise gorgeous hair?!"  
  
dd "Uh-oh," James and Meowth said in unison.  
  
dd "She's gonna go postal again..." James warned.  
  
dd "...Why you little...!" Jessie cried. She opened the door of the cage and reached for the bird, but it squeezed past her. It jumped onto the edge rail of the balloon's basket. Jessie lunged for it, and it jumped to another edge. Jessie reached for it again...  
  
"FRA!" it cried as it lost its balance and tumbled out of the balloon.  
  
dd "Jessie?!" James cried, "If we'd given that thing to the boss, we would have gotten a big raise! We could have bought you a wig!"  
  
dd "Oh-no!" Misty cried as the bird fell. It hadn't learned how to fly yet.  
  
dd "Hold on!" Ash yelled. He ran as fast as his still-numb legs would carry him. He slid across the ground and caught the bird in his lap.  
  
dd "Fra!" the bird cried joyously.  
  
dd "Are you okay?" Ash gently asked the baby.  
  
dd "Ling!" it answered happily.  
  
dd "That's good," Ash said.  
  
ddArticuno began to wake up, but was still too weak to move. It looked relieved to see its child sitting safely in Ash's lap. Misty looked relieved too. She sighed and smiled. Tracey noticed her sigh and looked confused.  
  
dd "Toin the vacuum back on!" Meowth ordered.  
  
dd "Right!" James said. He turned the vacuum up to full power.  
  
dd "Ah!" Ash moaned as he felt the suction trying to pull the bird away.  
  
dd "BRREEEE!"  
  
ddMisty gasped, "Togepi!" as Togepi was sucked toward the balloon.  
  
dd "Pikapi!" Pikachu was sucked away also.  
  
dd "Pikachu!" Ash cried. He tried to hold on, but the bird slipped from his fingers and was sucked away with the others.  
  
dd "Togepi! Use your Metronome attack!" Misty cried.  
  
dd "Metronome?" Ash wondered.  
  
dd "Choki-Choki-Choki-Choki-" Togepi's chant was silenced as it was sucked down the tube with Pikachu, the bird, Chikorita, and Marill.  
  
dd "No!" Articuno screeched.  
  
dd "Huh?" Team Rocket wondered as the steel box that the Pokémon were in started to glow.  
  
ddKA-BOOM!  
  
ddThe balloon exploded!   
  
dd "Looks like Team Rocket's blowing up again!" Team Rocket yelled as they disappeared on the horizon.  
  
dd "Fra!" the bird cried.  
  
dd "Fly...whatever your name is!" Ash stuttered, "FLY! We know you can!"  
  
dd "Frost!" the bird spread its wings and attempted to soar. Its belly scraped the grass as it swooped down safely. It learned how to fly, but not to stop. It crashed into the chest of the proud-looking Articuno.  
  
dd "Great job!" Ash praised as he caught Pikachu. Brock caught Chikorita, and Tracey caught Marill.  
  
dd "Togepi?!" Misty called.  
  
ddBONK!  
  
ddThe withdrawn Togepi bounced off Ash's head and landed in her arms. It came out of its shell and smiled.  
  
dd "Choki! Choki! Toe-geh?" it asked.  
  
dd "Yes, you did a great job!" Misty said. She hugged Togepi tightly.  
  
ddAsh sighed, smiled, and blushed. He was still dizzy from being hit in the head by Togepi.  
  
dd "Marill?" Marill wondered.  
  
dd "Is it just me or does everyone seem to be sighing a lot lately?" Tracey asked.  
  
dd "Blushing a lot too," Brock laughed, "It's only Ash and Misty... for obvious reasons."   
  
dd "Oh!" Tracey said, finally understanding.  
  
  
  
Chapter VIII  
  
dd "You don't look like you have frostbite to me," Nurse Joy said. They were back in the Pokémon Center. Misty was sitting on an examination table and Nurse Joy was inspecting her fingertips.  
  
dd "I suppose that's good," Misty said.  
  
dd "Yep," Ash agreed, "You were lucky." He was holding his frostbitten hands over a small fire. Articuno and the hatchling walked up behind him. He curiously held his PokéDex up to the bird.  
  
dd "Pokémon unknown," it said.  
  
dd "Hmm," Ash thought.  
  
dd "I think I might know what it is," Joy said, "I thought it was just a myth, but that may be Frostling. It's believed that if one of the Legendary Birds have a child, it won't be the same species. The child would evolve into the Legendary Bird if its parent ever died."  
  
dd "Makes sense," Brock said, "but if the birds are each one of a kind, how did Articuno lay a fertile egg?"  
  
dd "Maybe it's like Godzilla," Tracey suggested as he sketched Articuno and Frostling, "You never know."  
  
ddJoy put a cast on Misty's ankle and seemed just then to notice the feathers in her hair.  
  
dd "Maybe this is why you weren't hurt by the cold," Joy said, "Another myth that pertains to the Birds is that if someone wears of one of their feathers, that person is about 90% more resistant to that bird's element."  
  
dd "Ice, in this case," Misty realized, "And to think that I was just trying to stay awake!"  
  
dd "Togi, Togi!" Togepi said cheerfully. There was an x-shaped bandage on its shell.   
  
dd "Are you feeling better?" Misty asked.  
  
dd "Priiii!" Togepi giggled. It removed the bandage. The crack Articuno had caused was gone.  
  
dd "That's great," Misty said.  
  
dd "You'd better give your hands a rest, Ash," Joy said, "Frostbite should be warmed gradually."  
  
dd "Okay," Ash said reluctantly. He sat next to Misty on the table. She smiled at him. He blushed and smiled back.  
  
dd "I'll be back in a second," Nurse Joy said. She walked out of the room.  
  
dd "Ar, Articuno," Articuno said softly to Frostling.  
  
dd "Fra!" Frostling chirped. The two birds walked toward the door. They waved to their new friends with their wings, and exited the building, and flew back toward the mountain.  
  
dd "Wow," Misty commented, "Those two really seem to care about each other."  
  
dd "Yeah," Ash agreed, "I never thought that such a big bad bird like Articuno could be so sentimental...."  
  
dd "Mmm-hmm," Misty nodded. She quietly said, "and I never though that such a stubborn little kid like you could be so sentimental...."  
  
dd "Uh," Ash stammered. His face got redder than it had been the whole day as he remembered what he'd done earlier, "Uh, well...you know...."  
  
dd "You're sweet," Misty whispered. She scooted closer to him and laid her head on top of his. His face lightened to pink.  
  
ddBrock and Tracey made a point of staring at Tracey's sketch of Articuno and Frostling.  
  
dd "So are you," Ash said.  
  
ddMisty blushed and kissed his cheek. His face went back to red. He relaxed-that is to say, practically melted to a puddle-in her arms.  
  
ddMisty thought for a moment. She nudged Ash's head up with her fingertips. They smiled at each other, and pressed their lips together...  
  
ddThey pulled back a few seconds later and hugged each other. Since Ash was the one facing them, he noticed Tracey and Brock looking at the sketch as if they were having a staring contest with it. Pikachu and Togepi had rather shocked expressions.  
  
Ash blushed again. He sighed and hugged Misty tighter...  
  
font face="Lucida Calligraphy"   
The End...font face="Arial"  
(Or is it?)  
Dum, dum, dum...   
.  
  



End file.
